THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay’s city council is poised to pass a recommended 2.35 per cent increase to councillors’ annual compensation on Monday.
A majority of councillors indicated to TBnewswatch they will vote in favour, and defended the raise – which is set at half the rate of inflation – as reasonable.
The recommended increase amounts to roughly $789, with councillors’ base pay currently at $33,589.
The question of councillors’ pay, which has caused controversy in the past, has largely become a settled issue during the current term of council, with councillors expressing widespread satisfaction with current rules.
Council passed those rules in 2019 after a committee review, setting yearly increases at half of the previous year’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase for Thunder Bay, as calculated by Statistics Canada. The changes were designed to keep remuneration consistent with other similar cities, said the office of the city clerk.
Ontario’s Municipal Act still requires council to hold a vote on the increase each year.
The policy has produced negligible bumps in compensation until this year, with the city’s CPI increasing by 4.7 per cent in 2021.
Of eight members of council who responded to TBnewswatch by deadline, seven said they will vote in favour of the recommended 2.35 per cent increase on Monday.
Coun. Brian Hamilton said the increase isn’t about rewarding councillors, but fairly compensating them for their work and ensuring the city can attract quality candidates.
“This is not something to be politicized,” he said. “This isn’t a pat on the back for doing a good job.”
Coun. Andrew Foulds said councillors work very hard on behalf of the public and, like all workers, deserve to be fairly compensated.
“We need to compensate whoever is elected [in the] fall reasonably, as well,” he said. “I don’t think that people run for the money, but I do think compensation plays a role. We want to attract good candidates.”
He said he also appreciates how having a consistent policy has removed the issue as a political football.
“Before we had the policy, it was extremely political,” he said. “I think it was a wise move.”
Coun. Aldo Ruberto said he was still deciding how to cast his vote Monday, saying he generally supports the current policy but questions if it was designed for times of high inflation. He said he was uncomfortable seeing an increase over two per cent.
Others agreed the city should consider setting a cap on pay increases for times of high inflation, but indicated they will support the 2.35 per cent increase.
While he’s hesitating on Monday’s vote, Ruberto said there’s no question councillors deserve what they’re paid.
“It’s a job, not a hobby,” he said. “I’m not looking at myself. I’m okay, but for a person who’s considering running,” it’s important the pay is fair, he said.
Coun. Peng You declined to comment as he is heading into a leave of absence and won’t be present for Monday’s meeting.
Councillors currently make $33,589 in base pay, including a $2,750 travel allowance. The mayor, the only member considered a full-time employee, is paid $126,528.
Including fringe benefits like the stipends paid by some outside boards, councillors pulled in between $39,087 and $50,179 last year, with the average at $44,997.
Councillors voted to forego a raise in 2020 due to the pandemic, saving the city $4,900, but approved a 0.55 per cent increase last year, costing the city about $3,000.
This year’s increase will have a larger impact of $12,700, though several councillors noted that amount hardly impacts the city’s net budget of over $280 million.
